President Biden sits down for interview with George Stephanopoulos l ABC News exclusive

President Biden sits down for interview with George Stephanopoulos l ABC News exclusive

[Music] good evening everyone on this momentous evening I’m Juju Chang thanks so much for streaming with us tonight ABC News has an exclusive interview with President Joe Biden our George Stephanopoulos sat down with the president for his first televised interview since that poor debate performance against Donald Trump President Biden says he is committed to staying in the race and confident that he will prevail and beat Donald Trump the president was directly called on to answer for his faltering appearances and whether he still has the mental and physical fitness for another term in the White House our team is standing by of course for analysis but first let’s get to the interview Mr President thank you for doing this thank you for having me let’s start with the debate uh you and your team said have said you had a bad night but your did but your friend Nancy py actually framed the question I think on the minds of millions of Americans was this a bad episode or the sign of a more serious condition was a bad episode uh no indicated of any serious condition I was exhausted I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing and the bad nights you know you say you were exhausted and and I know you’ve said that before as well but you came and you did have a tough month but you came home from Europe about 11 or 12 days before the debate spent six days in Camp David why wasn’t that enough rest time enough recovery time because I was sick I was feeling terrible matter of fact the docs with me I asked they did a covid test because they trying to figure out what was wrong they did a test to see whether or not I had some infection you know a virus I didn’t they just had a really bad cold and did you ever watch the debate afterwards I don’t think I did no well what I’m trying what I want to get at is what were you experiencing as you were going through the debate did you know how badly it was going yeah look the whole way I prepared nobody’s fault mine nobody’s fault of mine I uh I prepared what I usually would do sitting down as I did come back with foreign leaders or the National Security Council for explicit detail and I realized about partway through that you know all the I get quoted the New York Times had me down at 10 points before the debate nine now or whatever the hell it is the fact of the matter is that what I looked at is that he also lied 28 times I couldn’t I mean the way the debate ran not my fault no one else’s fault no one else’s fault but it seemed like you were having trouble from the first question in even before he spoke well I just had a bad night you got some bad interviews once in a while I I can’t remember gr but I’m sure you do I’ve had plenty I I guess the question the problem is here for a lot of Americans watching as you’ve said going back to 2020 watch me to people who are concerned about your age and you know 50 million Americans watched that debate it seemed to confirm fears they already had well look after that debate I did 10 major events in a row including till 2:00 in the morning after that debate I did event in North Carolina I did events in in in Georgia did events like this today large crowds overwhelming response no no no slipping and so I just had a bad night I don’t know why and how how quickly did it did it come to you that you were having that bad night well came was having a bad night when I realized that even when I was answering a question even though I turned his mic off he was still shouting and I I let it distract me I’m not blaming on that but I realized that I just wasn’t in control part of the other concern is that uh this seems to fit into a pattern of decline that has been reported on recently New York Times had a headline on July 2nd Biden’s lapses are said to be increasingly common and worrisome here’s what they wrote people who have spent time with President Biden over the last few months or so said the lapses appear to have grown more frequent more pronounced and after Thursday de Thursday’s debate more worrisome by many accounts as evidenced by video footage observation and interviews Mr Biden is not the same today as he was even when he took office three and a half years ago similar reporting in the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal are you the same man today that you were when you took office three and a half years ago in terms of successes yes I also was the guy who put together a peace plan for the Middle East that may become Anish I was also the guy that expanded NATO I was also the guy that grew the economy all the individual things that were done were ideas I had or I fulfilled I moved on and so for example you know well that was true then what’s Biden done lately you just today just announced 200,000 new jobs we’re moving in a direction that no one’s ever taken on I know you know this from the days in the in in the in the government I took on big farmer I beat them no was I could beat them I took on all the things we said we got done we’re told we couldn’t get done part of it is what I said when I ran was I want to do three things restore some decency to the office restore some support for the middle class instead of trickle down economics both in the middle out and the bottom up that way the wealthy still do fine everyone does better and unite the country but what has all that work over the last three and a half years cost you physically mentally emotionally well I I I just think it cost me a really bad night bad run but you know I George I have I’m optimistic about this country I don’t think we’re a country losers that he PS out I don’t think America’s in tough shape I think America’s on a cusp of breaking through and so many incredible opportunities this next term I’m going to make sure we have a straighten out the tax system I’m to make sure we’re in a situation where we have health care for all people or we’re in a position where we have have child care and Elder Care Free up and all these things one thing I’m proudest of is remember when my economic plan was put forward a lot of the mainstream economists said it’s not going to work guess what you now have 16 Nobel laurates 16 of them in economics saying that Biden’s next term would be based on what he wants to do enormous success Trump’s plan would cause a recession would synch increase inflation I’ve made great progress and that’s what I plan on doing and we can do this I I I I I understand that and I’m not disputing that what I’m asking you is uh about your personal situation do you dispute that there have been more lapses especially in the last several months can I run the 110 flat no but I’m still in good shape are you more frail no I know you keep my schedule I know you spoke with your doctor after the debate what did he say he said he just looked at me and said you’re exhausted I said look I have medical doctors travel me everywhere every president does as you know medical doctor some of the best in the world travel me everywhere I go I have an ongoing assessment of what I’m doing and they don’t hesitate to tell me if they think there’s something wrong I know you said you have an ongoing assessment have you had a full neurological and cognitive evaluation I’ve I got a full neurological test every day with me and I’ve had a full physical I had you know I mean I I’ve been a world read for my physical I mean yes answer I know your doctor said he consulted with a neurologist I guess I’m asking a slightly different question have you had the specific cognitive tests and have you had a neurologist especially do an examination no no one said I had to no one said they said I’m good would you be willing to undergo an independent medical evaluation that included neurological and cogn cognitive tests and release the results to the American people look I have a cognitive test every single day every day I have that test everything I do you know not only am I campaigning but I’m running the world not and that’s not how it sounds like hyperbole but we are the essential nation in the world MN Al was right and every single day for example today before I come out here I’m on the phone with the with prime minister of I I shouldn’t get into the detail but with Netanyahu I’m on the phone with the new Prime Minister of England I’m working on what we’re doing with regard to in Europe with regard to expansion of NATO and whether it’s going to stick I’m taking on Putin I mean every day there’s no day I go through there not those decisions that to make every single day and you have been doing that and the American people have been watching yet their concerns about your age and your health are growing so that’s why I’m asking could to reassure them would you be willing to have the independent medical evaluation watch me between there’s a lot of time left in this campaign it’s over 125 days so the make a decision the right answer right now is no you you don’t want to do that right now I’ve already done it you talked a lot about your successes in at the beginning of this interview and and I don’t want to dispute that I don’t want to debate that but as you know elections are about the future not the past they’re about tomorrow not yesterday and the question on so many people’s minds right now is can you serve effectively for the next four years George I’m the guy that put NATO together the Future No One thought I it expanded I’m the guy that shov pu down no one thought could happen I’m the guy that put together a South Pacific initiative with Aus I’m the guy that got 50 Nations out not only in Europe outside of Europe as well to help Ukraine I’m the guy that got Japanese to expand their budget I’m the so I mean these and for example when I decided we used to have 40% of the computer chip and we invented the chip that little chip the computer chip it’s and everything from cell phone or weapons and so we used to have 40% we’re down to virtually nothing so I get in the plane against advice everybody and I fly to South Korea I convinced them to invest in the United States billions of dollars now we have tens of billions of dollars being invested in the United States making us back in a position we’re going to own that industry again we have I mean I I just anyway I don’t want to take too much credit I have a great staff but all that my I guess my point is all that takes a toll do you have the mental and physical capacity to do it for another four years at Le I wouldn’t be run if I didn’t think I did look I’m running again because I think I understand best what has to be done to take this nation to a completely new level we’re on our way we’re on our way and look the decision recently made by Supreme Court and on immunity you know the next president of United States is not just about whether he or she knows what they’re doing is it’s not not about a a conglomerate of people making decisions it’s about the character of the president the character of the president is going to determine whether or not this constitution is employed the right way and we should note that ABC News offered Donald Trump the same opportunity for a one-on-one interview and he declined we’ll have more of George stephanopoulos’s exclusive interview with President Biden in just 60 seconds stay with us [Music] whenever news breaks we are here in Israel a nation at war in Rolling for this tornado tore through this town from Leon Maine the scene of a horrific mass shooting from the scene of that deadly missile strike ABC News live everywhere in Iceland let’s go on the 2024 campaign here at 10 Downing Street wherever the story is we’re going to take you there you’re streaming ABC News live ABC News live you’re streaming ABC News live ABC news live streaming free everywhere there is a price to be paid every time a Survivor shares their story I will not be silenced do you feel the church accepted abuse I wouldn’t say accepted it as so much pretended it didn’t exist yep that’s him yep Ready Kira Phillips with ABC News does your church protect sexual predators the powerful New Impact by Nightline secrets of the 2x two Church there’s nothing pretty about here in this now streaming on Hulu welcome back let’s return now to ABC George stephanopoulos’s exclusive interview with President Joe Biden let me ask you a tougher more personal question are you sure you’re being honest with yourself when you say you have the mental and physical capacity to serve another four years yes I am because George last thing I want to do is not be able to meet that I think as some of senior Economist and Senior foreign policy specialist say if I stop now I go down history as a pretty successful president no one thought I could get done when we got done but are you being with honest with yourself as well about your ability to defeat Donald Trump right now yes yes yes yes you say that and let me challenge you she because you were close but behind going into the debate um you’re further behind Now by by any measure it’s been a two-man race for several months inflation has come down in those last few months he’s become a convicted felon yet you’re still falling further behind you guys keep saying that George do you do you know poing better than anybody do you think polling that as accurate as he used to be I don’t think so but I think when you look look at all of the polling data right now it shows that he’s certainly ahead in the popular vote probably even more ahead in the Battleground States and one of the other key factors there is it shows that in many of the Battleground States the Democrats who are running for in the house are doing better than you are well that’s not unusual in some states I carried an awful lot of Democrats last time I ran in 2020 look I remember them telling me the same thing in 2020 I can’t win the poll show I can’t win remember 2024 2020 the Red Wave was coming before the vote I said that’s not going to happen we’re going to win we did better in an off year than almost any incum a prison ever has done they said in 2023 all the tough races we’re not going to win I went into all those areas all those all those districts and we won all that is true but 20120 was a close race and your approval rating has dropped significantly since then I think the last poll I saw was about 36% the number of Americans who think you’re too old to serve has doubled since 2020 wouldn’t a cleare eyed political calculus tell you that it’s going to be much tougher to win in 2024 not when you’re running against a pathological liar not when he hadn’t been challenged in a way that is about to be challenged not when people you’ve had months to challenge you well I sure I had months but I was also doing the help of a lot of other things like Wars around the world like keeping NATO together like working any anyway but look do you really believe you’re not behind right now I think it’s a all pulsers I talk to tell me it’s a tossup it’s a tossup and when I’m behind there’s only one poll I’m really far behind CBS poll and NBC I mean excuse me and uh new New York Times and NBC both you have have you about six points behind in the popular vote that’s exactly right New York Times had me behind before anything happen to do with this race had me behind 10 points 10 points had me behind nothing’s changed substances in the debate the New York Times poll just when you look at the reality though Mr President I mean you won the popular vote uh in 2020 but it was still deadly close in the Electoral col yes but you’re behind now in the popular vote I don’t I don’t buy that is it worth the risk I don’t think anybody’s more qualified to be president or win this race than me you know the heart of your case against Donald Trump is that he’s only out for himself putting his personal interest ahead of the national interest how do you respond to critics who say that by staying in the race you’re doing the same thing oh come on well I don’t think those critics know what they’re talking about they’re just wrong they’re just wrong look Trump is a pathological liar Trump is he he is have you ever seen anything Trump did that benefited somebody else not him you can’t answer I know i’ I’ve questioned him and his allies as persistently as any journalist has no I know you have I’m not being critical yeah I’m not being critical but look I mean the man is a congenital liar as I said they pointed out in that debate he lied 27 28 times the times whatever it number over 20 times talk about how good his economy was how he brought down inflation how this is a guy who unlike only other president other than him is Hoover lost more jobs than he created this is a guy who told us to put bleach in our arms to deal with Co when a million over a million people died this is a guy who talks about want to get rid of the health care provision we put in place this is a guy who wants to give the power back to Big farmer to be able to charge exorbitant prices for drugs this is a guy who wants to undo every single thing I’ve done every sing every single thing I I understand that I understand that’s why you want to stay in the race but if you convince yourself that only you can defeat him I convince myself of two things I’m the most qualified person to beaten I know how to get things done if you can be convinced that you cannot defeat Donald Trump will you stand down with offensive and if the Lord Almighty comes out and tells me that I might too B well I mean on a more practical level Washington Post just reported in the last hour that Senator Mark Warner is is assembling a group of senators together to try and convince you to stand down because they don’t think you can win well Mark is a good man we’ve never had that he also tried to get the nomination too Mark’s not Mark and I have a different perspective I respect him and if Chuck Schumer and hakee Jeff and Nancy Pelosi come down and say were worried that if you stay in the race we’re going to lose the house and the Senate how will you respond I i’ go into detail with them I’ve speaking to all of them in detail including Jim kurn every one of them they all said I should stay in the race stay in the race no one said none of the people said I should leave but if they do well it’s like they’re not going to do that you sure well yeah I’m sure look I mean if the Lord Almighty came down and said Joe get out of the race I get out of the race the Lord almighty’s not coming down I mean these hypotheticals George if I mean but it’s it’s it’s not that hypothetical anymore I I I I grant that the they have not requested the meeting but it’s been I’ve met with them I’ve met with a lot of these people I’ve talked with them regularly I had an hour conversation with our Keem I had more time than that than Jim kber I spent time with many hours off and on the last little bit with Chuck Schumer it’s not like I had all the governors all the governors I agree that the Lord Almighty is not going to come down but if if if you are told reliably from your allies from your friends and supporters in the Democratic party in the house and the Senate that they’re concerned you’re going to lose the house and the Senate if you stay in what will you do I’m not going to answer that question it’s not going to happen what’s your plan to turn the campaign around saw it today how many how many people you get draw crowds like I drew today you find any more enthusiastic than today huh I mean I don’t think you want to play the crowd game Donald Trump can draw big crowds there’s no question about that he can draw a big crowd but what does he say who who do he have I’m the guy supposedly in trouble we raised $38 million within 4 days after this over we have over a million individual contributors individual contributors Le less less than 200 bucks we have I mean I’ve not seen what you’re you’re proposing you haven’t seen the fall off in the polls you haven’t seen the reports of discontent in the Democratic Party House Democrats Senate Democrats I’ve seen it from the Press so much to analyze and so for more side on this interview we’re joined Now by contributing political correspondent Rachel bade who’s also author of The Politico Playbook Rachel thanks for joining us I would be here I know that every Source you have in Washington is going through the tea leaves and looking at it is there anything you or they saw tonight that is moving the Le the needle on this and and is even a perfect performance going to move the needle yeah I was hearing even before this interview air that a perfect performance would sort of just prolonged the inevitable right now that you know Biden from the debate is so damaged uh that people will not forget what happened last Thursday even if he you know has the best interview possible here and and because of that sort of line of thinking I would say that what we saw tonight is actually one of the worst possible scenarios for Democrats he didn’t do so bad that it’s obvious and a whole bunch of Democrats are going to come out go on record and say it’s time for you to step aside but he didn’t do so amazingly that people are going to forget this and so they’re in this sort of limbo scenario so I mean look it wasn’t as bad as last Thursday but certainly not great and that means more Democrats will still have concern and you know that uh on Capitol Hill we’re hearing about what Senator Warner is doing we’re hearing that hakee Jeff is meeting with people what do you think will come out of these meetings what are you hearing yeah so I think next week is going to be a crazy week Juju I mean the lawmakers have been out for what a week now for Congressional recess this means they could avoid the Press they can avoid the cameras and not have to weit in but at some point they’re not going to be able to hide anymore um and a lot of people have been talking on background they’ve been talking off the Record and they’ve been very blunt thinking that you know the the Biden campaign the presidency his presidency his presidential campaign is essentially dead and so we’re going to see I think a lot more lawmakers come out I think you know Hakeem Jeff uh Chuck Schumer they’re hearing from a lot of concerned members and these aren’t just random members here I mean uh Mark Warner um the chair of the intelligence committee he helps Joe Biden get his agenda through Congress he a lot of respect friendly fire this is a lot going on Rachel bade thank you so much for your insights as always of now let’s bring in our ABC senior White House correspondent Selena Wang Selena some people were calling this interview a televised cognitive test how did the president score well look this certainly did not quell the Panic within the Democratic party in fact it may have increased the schisms here now you have the camp of those who think that the president was just fine that this is how President Biden normally is and then the other Camp who believe that this really underscores the challenges of his candidacy that he didn’t do enough to turn this around I’ve been speaking with some donors and allies here who say that this didn’t really change the status quo yes it was far better than he did on that disastrous debate but he didn’t do enough to stem the damage here and you of course have lawmakers donors and allies who have really waiting out on the sidelines watching to see how he does in these rallies in this critical interview to decide if they want to continue supporting the president or if they want to join the growing course of those were publicly calling him to step aside and how United is the support inside the White House what are you hearing from your sources about how the president’s interview went tonight yeah I was just talking to the White House and they’re calling this a solid interview they believe that we need to focus Less on the president’s delivery and what he says and what he’s done the president of course has said so himself that 90 minutes shouldn’t erase all the work that he’s done in the last 3 and a half years they tout that he spoke about all the jobs that he’s created the work he’s on around chips on uniting NATO on pushing back Putin and Ukraine so in their view this is just Joe Biden being Joe Biden he was solid he was never a spectacular speaker to begin with and you certainly didn’t get that today either and one of Biden’s biggest surrogates California governor Gavin new is out campaigning for the president today calling this an important weekend saying none of us are naive what are Biden is advisor looking for to determine whether the campaign can recover from all this yeah Juju I mean look polling is one thing and the numbers have been getting worse you have both the Wall Street Journal and New York time polling showing that Trump is widening his lead over Biden’s now at least 6% 6o lead this is the spread and it is growing but of course for the inner circle of the advisers to the president they are still strongly standing behind him they still believe that he is the best chance for the party to defeat Donald Trump in other parts of the White House Administration and other donors and Ally circles however they believe that this Inner Circle is too tightly around this President and that they aren’t hearing all of the criticism from the outside and that they’re being too dismissive of it but really Juju like you said this is really a make or break it moment for the president and he needs to continue to perform in these coming days as I’ve been hearing from allies it’s not just one okay interview one good rally it’s a successive string of days where the president needs to show that he has the stamina and mental acuity Selen Wang on another busy summer weekend thanks for your reporting and insights as always and thank you for joining us for this ABC News exclusive interview with President Biden ABC News live is here for you all night with the latest news context and Analysis of the president’s interview with our own George Stephanopoulos of course coverage continues Straight Ahead here on ABC News live so be sure to stay with us be back whenever news breaks we are here

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